Here’s a light, fluffy Japanese Cotton Cheesecake recipe (also called “soufflé cheesecake”) — soft, jiggly, and less sweet than traditional cheesecake.
🧀 Japanese Cotton Cheesecake
🛒 Ingredients (8-inch / 20 cm round pan)
- 200 g (7 oz) cream cheese (room temperature)
- 50 g (3½ tbsp) unsalted butter
- 100 ml (⅓ cup + 1 tbsp) milk
- 4 large eggs (separated)
- 60 g (½ cup) cake flour (or 50 g all-purpose flour + 10 g cornstarch)
- 70 g (⅓ cup) granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp vanilla extract (optional)
- Pinch of salt
🔥 Instructions
1️⃣ Prep
- Preheat oven to 320°F (160°C).
- Line bottom of pan with parchment paper.
- Wrap outside of pan with foil (for water bath).
2️⃣ Melt Base
- In a heatproof bowl over simmering water, melt:
- Cream cheese
- Butter
- Milk
- Whisk until smooth. Remove from heat.
3️⃣ Add Yolks
- Whisk in egg yolks one at a time.
- Add lemon juice and vanilla.
- Sift in flour and mix until smooth. Do not overmix.
4️⃣ Make Meringue
- Beat egg whites with salt until foamy.
- Gradually add sugar.
- Beat to soft peaks (not stiff).
5️⃣ Fold
- Gently fold ⅓ of meringue into batter to lighten it.
- Fold in remaining meringue carefully to keep air.
6️⃣ Water Bath Bake
- Pour batter into pan.
- Tap lightly to remove big air bubbles.
- Place pan in a larger baking tray.
- Add hot water halfway up the sides.
- Bake 60–70 minutes.
7️⃣ Cool Slowly
- Turn off oven and leave door slightly open for 15–20 minutes.
- Remove and cool completely before unmolding.
✨ Tips for Perfect Texture
- Do not overbeat meringue (causes cracks).
- Use room-temperature ingredients.
- Gentle folding keeps it fluffy.
- Slow cooling prevents sinking.
🍰 Serving
Dust with powdered sugar or serve with fresh berries.
If you’d like, I can also give you a no-crack bakery-style version with exact temperature stages for an ultra-smooth finish.
